Controlling mechanism.



N0. 880',545. PATBNTED MAR. s, 1908.

' F. M. LEAVITT. CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

2 sums-51mm 1.

. INVENTOR APPLICATION P ILED HAIL-25, 1907.

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W (Fm Q $40050 No. 880,545. M YPATENTED MAR. 3, 1908. F. LEAVITT.CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25, 1907.

Fig. 5.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

10 or element is by its displacement to cause or '"a' specification.

UNITED sTATE's PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK M. LEAVI'IT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO E. W. BLISS COMPANY,OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGIN l1 CONTROLLINGMECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. LEAVIT'I, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and Stateof'New "York, have-invented certain new and useful Iin rovements inControlling Mechanism, of which the following is This invention providesa mechanical movement designed for use where one part control acorrespondingdisplacement of anwell-known il mechanism-applied to. afluid-pressure en-v other part or element. Such mechanisms arechieflyapplied to steering apparatus. A ustration of such a controllinggine is found in'the hydraulic or steam steering enginelused' forsteering ships; the pilot moves a-valve (called a floating valve)whichis seatedina movable part or valve-.

chest which is either the piston or hydraulic plunger itself, or isconnected thereto to move therewith; the. displacement of the valve 0ens its ports and admits fluidto one side of t e piston, and permitsescape offluid from .the other side thereof to the exhaust; hence thepiston is moved, and in moving it displaces the ports so that theyfollow the'previous movement of the valve until they overtake it andclose themselves, whereupon the flow ceases and the piston stops. Thecharacteristic of such movemcnts'is that when the controlling partmoves, the controlled part follows it until it overtakes it, and thenstops. Such a mechapism is therefore colloquially known among mechanicsas a follow-up mechanism.

My invention aims to-construct a followup mechanismin which the use offluid under pressure shall be avoided, the movement v being whollymechanical. My device may therefore be called a followup gear.

My inventionalso aims to so. construct such a mechanism that, while thepower at command for operating the controlled or driven part. may beunlimited, the action" may be so sensitive that the control may bederived fromsome very sensitive or weak element, thatwould be inca ableofexerting any considerable force wit out. being itself injured ordcranged.- Thus the control may .be derived from a lightpendulum, acompass needle, a g roscope, a diaphragm subjected to a slight uidpressure, a float, or any other Specification of Letters Patent.Application filed March 25, 1907. Serial No. 364.622.

.a'front elevation of one em present invention;,Fig. 2 is avertical'mid- IPatented. March 3, 1908.

sensitive part which is incapable of exerting a strong impulse orthrust.

To these ends my invention comprises a movable controlling part orpilothaving a cam surface, a rapidly reci rocatin part moved by suitablepower, a 0g or ee er carried by such reciprocating part and movingtoward and from such cam surface, and so related thereto as to receivetherefrom=an impress or position according to the position of thecontrolling part; a tappet or tap ets in position to be encountered bythe dog urin r tliiit the dog may or may not communicate movement to thetappet according tothe po-- sition imparted to it by the actuating part;a carrier or traveler on which said 'reciprsicating part and tap pet aremounted; and driving the receding movement of the latter s0 meanscontrolled by said tappet for applying I the latter so acts upon thetappet, as to stop' the action of the power-driven niechai'n upon thetraveler and cause the latter to come to rest in a position normal.tothat of the controlling part. Consequently any displacement of thecontrolling part in either'db rection results in a subsequent and equalor corresponding displacement of thetraveler in the same direction.

My present invention may among other.

uses be applied to 'yri)scopically-controlled apparatus, in whic case itconstitutes an improvement upon or development of the device set forthin my United States Patent-No.

795,045 granted July 18, 1905-.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is odimentof the section thereof;Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmen ta views showing the dog and ta pets in dierent positions; Fig. 5 is a front e ovation of amodified construction.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, let A designate the controlling oractuating part, or

pilot, mounted in any suitable way so a e-t0 be movable, and moved byany suitable meagis, such as by. a rod or link a connecting it with anypart which is to control the motion, such as a compass, gyroscope,float,

pilot-wheel, or other source of control or di rection. The part A isshown as a lever fulcrumed on a center I).

. B is the controlled part or traveler which i isto execute movementsfollowing those of the pilot art A. It is shown as an oscillatory partiaving a hub c turnin in a bearing in a supporting frame C, which attermay be of any suitable shape. A suitable light dog or feeler E iscarried by a reciprocating part F, which in turn is carried by thetraveler B. The part F is shown as a slide moving in suitable guides ff. It is rapidly reciprocated by any suitable source of power. The meansfor communicating this power is shown as a shaft G revolvingconcentrically within the hub c, and having fixed upon it an eccentric ewhich engages the slide F by means ofa transverse slot 6 in the latter,in which the eccentric turns and by which it c0mmuni' cates longitudinalreciprocating movements to the slide.

The feeler E is shown as a forked piece pivoted freely to the slide F,having feet or toes g projecting toward the pilot A and having an arm hprojecting upwardly and adapted to engage oneor other or both of twomovable parts or tappets H H. The art of the pilot A which cooperateswith the eeler'or dog E is formed as a cam D, so shaped as to engage thetoes g. Vvhen'the pilot-is in the central position, as shown, its

cam is engagedby both toes as the dog comes into touch with it, theresult of which is that the dog is placed in the intermediate means of alink i.

osition shown. The reciprocating motion is sufficiently rapidso that thedog in its receding movement necessarily retains the osition thusimparted to it, and in so doing 1ts end enters between the tappetsH H,andshould'ersh on the do engage these tappets as shown in Fig. 3. if,however, the pilot is moved to either side, its cam D acts to tilt thedog, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, and the dog in receding fromthe cam strikes one or other of the tappets and'forccs it upwardly asshown in full lines in Fig. 4, Q

direction, so that they will eventually evertake the pilot and restorethe normal relative posit-ions of these respective parts. To this endthe ta pets and the slide or other form of carrier F for the dog arecarried on the traveler B, and a power-driven mcchnism is provided fordisplacing this traveler under the control of the tappets, so that whenthe tappets are moved from their normal position asshown in Fig. 1, theyset in operation the means for thus displacing the, traveler B. Onemeans of accomplishing'this movement is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, where aratchetand-pawl device is utilized for imparting the requisite motion inforward or backward direction. To this end ratchet wheels J and awls Kare provided, the ratchet wheels .iaving' theirteeth oppositelydirected, and

being connected by miter ears L and a worm M to a worm wheel N hxed on ashaft which also carries a pinion O meshing with a fixed rack or sectorso that whenever the ratchet wheels are turned by the pawls, motion isimparted to this train of gearin with the result that the pinion O traves along the sector P, carrying with it the traveler B. These movementsare accomplished by the pawls K K which are reciprocated from anysuitable source of power, as

for example by being mounted on the same' reciprocating slide F. In thenormal position of the parts the pawls are out of engage- -inent withthe ratchet wheels as shown.

The pawls have tails connected by a link 7',

so that as either pawl is turned toward its ratchet wheel the other pawlrecedes and is kept out of action. The pawls are connected in anysuitable way to the tappets H H;

The connection shown consists of a link it,

elbow-lever m, and link n connecting to' an 1 arm p pivoted to the slideF, and having a slotted or forked engagement with a in j on the link Tohold the parts in eit ier of the three positions against accidental displacement and until the-position is forcibly i changed by impact of thedog E, a spring g cooperatin with an arm of the elbow lever m is provied. So long as the parts occu y the central position shown, the pawls KT? are held out of engagement with the ratchet wheels. Upon an action ofthe dog'upon either tappet, asshown for example in Fig. 4,

a tilting movement is communicated to thearm 7) whereby the'pawls aretilted, carrying one of them into position to engage its ratchet wheel,and moving the other further from its wheel. This occurs'atthe end ofthe up-stroke of theslide F, and by reason of the spring g the partsretain these positions, hnd during. the down-stroke the pawl which hasbeen thrust toward its wheel ,en-

gages one of the teeth thereof and moves it- So long as the pawl thespace of one tooth. is held thus displaced, it acts at each stroke.

of the slide to turn its ratchet wheel one" tooth forward. Any necessarydeflection of the pawl in clearing the ratchet teeth is provided for bya sli ht yielding of the spring g.

' The pawls K K being arranged to act upon opposite sides of the ratchetwheels, are adapted to turn them in contrary directions. llence so longas one. pawl is in engagement, the train of gearing is intermittentlymoved in one direction, and the traveler B is given a rotary movementsuch as to cause the dog E to follow the displacement originallyimparted to the pilot A. As soon as the traveler overtakes the pilot,the dog is restored to its central position, thereby restoring thetappets to their normal ositions-and moving the ponds to their midt leor negative positions, as shown in Fig. 1.

Movement canbe imparted from the t l-aveler B to any desired mechanismin any suitable way, as for example by means of a link or connecting rodQ. Another construction is, shown in Fig. 5. Here the pilot A is shownas a lever tilted by a rod (1, and having a cam 1) which in thisinstance is shown as a stepped cam enga ing-a somewhat modified form ofdog E. Tie latter is pivoted to a reciprocating part, which in thisconstruction consists of a lever F fulcrumed atf" and reciprocated bybeing connected by a rod g to an eccentric e. The tappets H and H. are

of different form, but coact with the dog E to the same effect as thosealready described. The ta pets are here shown as formed 'on links I Tconnectigigwith two opposite arms of a lever R having an intermediatearm which connects by a link r'with the clutchoperatin lever S. Power isap lied by a central s iaft G passing as before t rough the hub of thecarrier B, and having fixed on it a nit-er' gear T meshing withoppositely re- .volvin' miter gears U U formed on hollow shafts-01xjournals through which passes a centr'al drive-n shaft V. The gears U Uare constantly revolving, and one of them carries the eccentric e. Theshaft V carries a clutch collar 8 by which to move it endwise.

In its intermediate position as shown, it is disconnected and remainsstationary. lf displaced in one direction, clutch teeth t are enga ed,whereby itis driven from the gear U; i displaced in the contrarydirection, clutch teeth t are engaged whereby. it is rotated in theopposite direction by the gear U. The shaft V carries' a pinion umeshing with a gear on the shaft of which is a worm l\'l driving'aworm-wheel N, on the shaft of which is a pinion O meshing with thetoothed sector P exactly as in the first described construction. Theoperation of this modification is essentially the same as that firstdescribed, except that instead of the power for turning the traveler Bbeing applied inter- It is an important advantage of my invention thatthe control of ,the transmission and power from the pilot A is effectedwithout any perceptible reaction or back thrust such as would tend toresist the movement of the-pilot. This is due to the fact that the lightdog or feeler E merely touches the cam surface, its impact therewithbeing so light as to produce no perceptible effect tending to displacethe pilotin forward or backward direction. Nevertheless the 'dog servesas 'a means for transmitting any deslrcd amount of power during itsretreating movement, and after it has passed entirely out of contactwith the pilot, so that the tappets are actuated with'any requisiteforce for controlling theapplication of power for causin the traveler Bto travel forward or backwarr in its following movement, in order thatit ma'y fdllow up and overtake the movement of the pilot. This mechanismis capable of a great variety of applications in the mechanic arts,being especially desirable where a light, sensitive, or delicate part isrequired to controlthe application of suitablepower to turn a heavy orpowerfully controlled actuated part.

I claim as my invention:

1. A foll0wu gear comprising a movable controlling or pi ot part, amovable coiltrolled part, power-driven means for displacing the atter,and ,a continuously reciprocating dog governed by said pilot part andadapted to control said power-driven means, whereby a displacement ofthe pilot part is followed by a corresponding displacement of thecontrolled part.

2. A follow-up gear comprising a movable controlling or pilot art, areciprocating dog moving toward am from it, power-driven propellingmeans controlled by said dog, and a controlled part or traveler adaptedto be driven by said propelling means in either moving toward and fromsaid pilot part, so.

as to be positioned thereby corrcs mnding to the position of the pilotpart, a tappet adapted to be encountered by said dog as the latterrecedes from said pilot part, a traveler carrying said reciprocating dogand tappet, and power-driven mechanism controlled by sa d tappet forpropelling the traveler in either direction, whereby the travelercarries the tappet and dog in the direction of displacement of the pilotpart until they overtake the latter. Y

5. A follow-u gear comprising a movable controlling or p1 ot part, acontrolled part or traveler, a reciprocating part carried thereby, a dogcarried by said reciprocating part, a tappet carried by said traveler,and acted on by saiddog, a source of ower, mechanism driven thereby forropel mg the traveler in either direction un er control of said tappet,whereby the traveler carries the tappet and dog in the direction ofdisplacement of the pilot part until they overtake the latter.

6.- A follow-up gear comprising a movable traveler, a reciprocating partcarried thereby, a dog carried by said reciprocating part,

moving toward and from said pilot part so as to be positioned thereby, ata pet carried by said traveler and adapted to ii ,;'by said dog as thelatter recedes froin said pilot part, said dog and tappet having the onea single and the other double shoulders adapted in the mid-position ofthe dog to bring the tappet to mid-position and in the displacedpositions of the dog to displace the tappet, and a power-drivenpropelling mech- 'anism controlled by the positions of said tappet forpropelling the traveler in either direction.

7. A follow-up gear comprising a movable controlling-or pilot part, acontrolled part or traveler, a reciprocating part carried thereby, a dogcarried by said reciproc ting part, moving toward and from said pilotpart so as to be positioned thereby, oppositely actin tappcts carried bysaid traveler and adapte to be encountered by said dog as the latterrecedes from said pilot part, said dog and tappets having the one asingle and the other double shoulders adapted in the mid-position of thedog to bring, the tappets to mid-posil5 .i;l'011 and in the displacedpositions of the dog e encountered controlling or pilot part, acontrolled part or to dis lace thetappets, and a power-driven prope lingmechanism controlled by the positions of said tappets for propelling thetraveler in either direction.

8. A follow-up gear comprising a movable controlling or p1 ot part, acontrolled part or traveler, a. reciprocating dog carried thereby,moving toward and from said pilot part, and a power-driven ratchet andpawl propelling mechanism for propelling said traveler in eitherdirection com rising oppositely acting -pawls and means or throwing theminto active or inactive said dog.

9. A follow-up gear comprising a movable controlling or pilot part, acontrolled part or traveler, areci rocating dog carried thereby, movingtowarifan'd from said pilot part so as to be positioned thereby, apower-driven ratchet and pawl propelling mechanism composition undercontrol of .prising a reciprocating part, oppositely act- .ing pawlscarried thereby, and means controlled by said dog adapted to hold bothpawls out of action or to throw either pawl into action.

10. A follow-up gear comprising a movable controlling or'pilot part, acontrolled part or traveler, a power-driven reci rocatin carriedthereby, a dog carried bysair i slide and reciprocated thereby towardand from said pilot part so as to be positioned thereby,

witnesses.

FRANK-M. LEAVITT Witnesses l H. F. HUGHES,

ARTHUR C. FaAsER.

slide part. e

have hereunto signed

